While India and its states are hoping for a gradual exit from the lockdown and restrictions amid the Coronavirus outbreak without loosening the grip in the fight against the pandemic, the state of Karnataka stood exceptional and announced that it has had enough of the lockdown and its time to revive the economy and restore the normalcy. 

The move, of what has been quoted as the sudden decision, was announced by Karnataka Chief Minister Yediyurappa on Tuesday. In his address to the state, the Chief Minister said that the lockdown is not the only solution for containing the pandemic and the state must focus on the economy and on rebuilding the livelihoods. 

The Chief Minister asserted that there is no question of lockdown either in Bangalore or any other district in the state. He clarified that the restrictions will be in place in the containment zones across the state and called the rest of the areas and districts in the state to return to normal economic activity, amid rapid spread of the virus. 

His statement has come when the Bangalore city nears to hit the deadline of a week-long complete lockdown imposed by the state government from July 14 to July 22. The Chief further claimed that the recovery rate in the state stands at 98% and appealed to the people not to get panicked.

However, the data released by the Union Health Ministry went contrary of what the Chief Minister has claimed. According to the Union Ministry, Karnataka has reported 67,420 cases so far as of Tuesday morning 8 am of which 42,222 are active, 23,795 have been discharged, and 1403 had succumbed to the virus.  

Yediyurappa has rolled out a new mantra in the state in combating the spread. He said, "Trace, Track, Test, Treat, and Technology will be the 5T mantra in the state to fight COVID-19". He further instructed the people to adhere to the social distancing norms and wear masks to curb the spread and he also stated that strict action will be taken against people who are spotted without wearing masks.

Though he placed his request before the public seeking their co-operation to the government, it has been speculated that his move would likely construct the grounds of peaking cases as the sudden exit from the lockdown and the swift restoration of normalcy may lead to the revival path but it also feared that it would lead to a major challenge in flattening the curve of COVID-19 cases amid the absence of the drug or vaccine to treat the viral infection.

By calling the people to return to work, the Chief Minister stated that the economy is important and claimed that people who came from Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra had added more COVID-19 cases in Karnataka. Earlier, Karnataka medical education minister denied the grounds of community transmission despite soaring cases in Bangalore and Karnataka. 

In the last 24 hours, Karnataka has reported 3,649 fresh cases and Bangalore has reported the biggest spike of 1,714 cases in a single day. Karnataka has become the major state in India to have a sudden exit from the lockdown, apart from containment areas, as it pitches for the revival mode amid fighting the Coronavirus pandemic.